Memphis Area Investors Create Own Airline

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(MEMPHIS) It's a new way to fly cheap and it's catching on. Forget the traditional terminal, crowds , lines and fees. The puddle jumpers we made fun of in the past are making a come back. With fifteen thousand dollar leather seats, an iPad in every seat and fares that will make your friends in Little Rock jealous the word is spreading.

“A lot of our flights are to places people already go but just have to drive because it's so expensive to fly out of Memphis on the legacy carriers”, said Stan Little, CEO, Southern Airways Express.

He won't say where they're headed --- but their Facebook page shows shots of Destin, New Orleans, Birmingham, and Jackson, Mississippi. They'll run the whole operation in downtown Memphis at One Commerce Square, the same spot being abandoned by Delta subsidiary Pinnacle Airlines.

Airline industry experts say it's the wave of the future; flying into and out small airports. Sources tell us Millington and Olive Branch are on this new airline’s radar.

Another small regional operation SeaPort Airlines runs a similar operation at Memphis already and it gets rave reviews.

“My flight to Bentonville out of Memphis would have cost $2000. My flight to Harrison, Arkansas just cost $154 and I rented a car the rest of the way”, said Stacy Simpson. “It saved my company more than a thousand dollars.”